crossword clue: “Valentina’s exuberant leap” (six letters)

After watching this amazing video, I won’t hesitate when a clue like “Humpback whale’s leap” jumps out at me in a puzzle. That leap, complex and twisty, is a BREACH. The powerful tail fin (left) is a FLUKE. I learned that whales perform TAIL SLAPS and TAIL LOBS when they’re engaged in surface display.

The beautiful story here — of a young humpback whale in the Sea of Cortez on Valentine’s Day — is better seen than told. The ending will make you jump for joy (or in my case, cry like a baby).

Franca, welcome! The best part of solving/making/dissecting puzzles is learning new words like FLUKE. I’d been referring to it as “a big whale tale.” So nice to learn about these beautiful creatures. Thanks for stopping by!